Device for delivering mail from moving trains.



B. R. ROBINSON. DEVICE FOR DELIVERING MAIL FROM MOVING TRAINS.

APPLICATION FILED snn'fzs', 1910.

Patented Dec. 13, 1910.

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E. R. ROBINSON. DEVICE FOR DELIVERING MAIL FROM MOVING TRAINS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23, 1910.

Patented Dec. 13, 1910.

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ERNEST R. ROBINSON, OF NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE.

DEVICE FOR DELIVERING MAIL FROM MOVING TRAINS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec, 13,1910,

Application filed September 23, 1910. Serial No. 583,373.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ennns'r R. ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of New Castle, in the county of Newcastle and State ofDelaware, have invented a new and Improved Device for Delivering Mailfrom Moving Trains, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are:to provide a receptacle for mail ouches which may be extended from theside of a car to support in position thereon the said pouches fordelivery; to provide a suitable stationary enga ing mechanism adapted toengage the pouches and to sweep the same from the said receptacle; toprovide a yielding construction for the engaging and retaining memberswhereby the same are permitted to yield if struck by a non-yieldingmember; to provide a receiving cage disposed to receive and hold thepouches as delivered; and to provide a simple, eflicient and durableoperating device for extending and retracting the receptacle.

One embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in the structureillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like characters ofreference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which--Figure 1 is a perspective View of a delivery platform for holding themail pouches in position extended from the side of a car, and inposition to be removed therefrom; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a carprovided with a platform of the character specified, said platform beingshown in closed or raised position; Fig. 3 is a cross section taken onthe line 33 in Fig. 1, and in fragmentary form, of a car body, platform,and receiving station constructed and arranged in accordance with thepresent invention; and Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on the line 4-4in Fig. 2, and on an enlarged scale, showing indetail the retaining pinsfor preventing the mail pouches from sliding from the said platform byreason of air pressure exerted thereon.

The invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings is designed moreparticularly for delivering mail pouches from fast moving trains duringthe passage of the same. For this purpose there is provided a platform5, which, in the present case, is constructed of sheet metal, and isprovided with an upturned end 6 and lateral extensions 7, 7. The end 6and extensions 7, 7 are curled over a rod 8, which forms a strengtheningframe for the platform 5. The rod 8 is provided with short sections 9,9, which accommodate the different levels of the upper edge of the end 6and the ends of the extensions 7, 7. At the ends of the rod 8 areprovided bearings 10, 10, which engage a shaft 11 extended between thesides of the door opening A of the mail car, and which is secured in thebracket bearings 12, 12 thereof. The pouches are prevented from beincarried beyond the outer end of the platform 5 by the upturned end 6,and are prevented from being accidentally disposed therefrom in linewith the movement of the car, by pivoted stakes 13, 13. The stakes 13,13 are provided with central bearing sections 14, which are fitted tothe rod 8', shown particularly in Fig. 4: of the drawings, and arefurther provided with a lower extension 15. The stakes 13 are maintainedin ver tical disposition by springs 16, 16. The springs 16, 16 are ofthe character generally known as spiral springs, and are arranged tonormally hold the stakes 13 in position substantially as shown in thedrawings. The said stakes will, however, yield when pressed againsteither from the outside of the platform or from the center thereof, inthe former case avoiding breakage by striking any standing or stationaryobject, and in the latter permitting the delivery of the mail pouchesfrom the edge of the platform 5. While I have herein shown the springsas spiral, adapted to arrest displacement by compression as well asexpansion, it will be understood that I do not limit myself to the useof any particular kind of spring.

The platform 5 is pivotally connected to a circular arm 17. The arm 17is pivotally connected at 18 to a hand lever 19. The arm 17 passesthrough a perforation 20 formed in the floor B of the mail car. Theperforation 20 serves as a guide for the operation of the arm 17.

The lever 19 is pivoted at 21 in a standard 22, fixedly mounted upon thefloor B of the mail car, and is further provided with a hand lever 23connected to a bolt 24. The bolt 24 is adapted to strike within and beheld by teeth formed in a quadrant 25. The quadrant 25 is fixedlysecured to the structure of the car and disposed beside the door openingthereof.

In the operation of the platform 5, when the lever 19 is moved to theposition illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the saidplatform, and parts connected therewith, are raised to partially fillthe door opening A of the car, as shown in dotted lines in said figure,and in full lines as shown in Fig. 2. When, however, the platform isdisposed for the delivery of mail pouches from the car, the lever 19 israised to the position shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 3, in whichposition of the lever the platform 5 is in an extended horizontalposition, such as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. In this position thelever 19 is locked by the bolt 2 1 engaging the quadrant 25.

The platform 5 being disposed as above set forth, the mail pouches aresingly, or in groups, placed upon the platform 5, the stakes 13, 13serving to prevent the accidental removal by wind pressure, orotherwise, of the said pouches from the said platform until the same areengaged by a structure sufliciently rigid to sweep the said pouches fromthe said platform, forcing backward the stakes 13, 13 for that purpose.

At each of the several stations provided for receiving the mail whilethe train is in transit, there is erected a receiving pen 26, consistingsubstantially of a rail, circular in form and stationarily mounted onthe platform of the railway station, or of a mail delivery stationremoved from the pas senger station. Beside the said pen 26, andsecurely anchored to the platform, is a standard 27. Adj ustably mountedwithin the hollow center of the standard 27 is a sliding shaft 28. Theshaft 28 is provided at the upper end thereof with a hollow invertedlaterally extended arm 29. The arm 29 is box-like in form, and providedto receive at each end thereof the journal ends of a shaft 30, anddouble spiral springs 31, 31, which are wrapped upon the said shaft 30.The springs 31, 31 are pitched in opposite directions, as seen in Fig. 3of the drawings, whereby the said springs coiiperate to return the rakearms 32, 32 to a vertical position after the same have been deflected ineither horizontal direction. The shaft 28 is maintained at any setelevation by a set screw 33. The tension of the springs 31, 31 is variedto suit the duty to be performed thereby.

The operation of the device, when constructed and arranged as set forthin the above description and in the accompanying drawings, is asfollows: The mail clerk within the car, on approach of a station towhich mail isto be delivered while the train is in transit, lifts thelever 19 to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, therebylowering the platform 5 from the position illustrated in Fig. 2 of thedrawings to the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3.

The mail pouches are then disposed on the platform. When now the trainpasses the station where has been erected astandard 27, and rake arms32, 32 connected therewith, the said rake arms are interposed in thepath of the said pouches, which, striking upon the same, are heldthereby and drawn backward over the platform 5, striking against thestakes 13, 13 with suflicient force to level the said stakes to permitthe said pouches to pass the same. In doing so they are dropped from theplatform 5 into the pen 26. Immediately the pouches are thus droppedfrom the platform, the stakes 13, 13, by reason of the springs 16, 16,re

sume their vertical position, and the rake arms 32, 32, by reason of thesprings 31, 31,

resume their vertical position, the arms having been deflected by theimpact of the mail pouches.

The above described manner of handling the mail pouches for deliveryfrom moving trains entails little or no trouble on the part of the mailclerk, has no limit to number or size of said pouches, and in every wayresponds to the requirements for the mail delivery service.

Immediately the delivery has been effected, the mail clerk lifts theplatform 5 to the position shown in Fig. 2, by moving the lever 19 tothe position shown in clot-ted lines in Fig. 3 of the drawings. It willbe understood that care is exercised in the placement of the pen 26 thatthe same is notin line with the station platform. As a rule, the mailreceiving stations are removed from the passenger platform and disposedon the opposite side of the track therefrom, which provides against theaccidents which might be caused by the carelessness or oversight on thepart of the clerk in failing to lift the platform 5.

lVhile in the accompanying drawings the platform 5 is illustrated asbeing extended from the sill of the door A, it will be understood thatthe operation of the invention isnot limited to this arrangement, as theplatform may swing from the upper or middle section of the said door.

It is to assist in raising the platform 5 i that I use the springs 34:,34 which are wound about the shaft 11, and the free ends of which aresecured to sliding blocks 35, 35. The sliding blocks 35, 35, are guidedto track in the grooved plates 36, 36 which plates are bolted under theplatform 5. The

springs 34, 34, when thus introduced, re-

lieve the lifting strain of the platform upon the lever 19 andmaterially assist theoper' ator in raising the plat-form to the positionshown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. A device for delivering mail from mov- Wing trains, comprising an extensible shelflike member mounted in thedoor opening of a mail car to rest vertically therein; a plurality ofyielding vertically disposed guard stakes pivotally mounted upon saidshelflike member and at the side thereof; means for maintaining thevertical adjustment of said guard stakes; and means operable from withinthe car for rotating the said shelflike member to extend the samehorizontally outward from the said car.

2. A device for delivering mail from moving trains, comprising anextensible shelflike member pivotally mounted in the door opening of amail car and adapted to normally rest vertically therein; a plurality ofvertically disposed guard stakes pivotally mounted on the edge of saidshelf-like member; a plurality of springs to maintain the normal uprightposition of said guard stakes; a lever pivoted within said car; and acurved connecting rod extended between the said lever and the outside ofsaid shelflike member to dispose and maintain the said shelf-like memberin adjusted position.

A device for delivering mail from moving trains, comprising anextensible shelflike member pivotally mounted in the door opening of amail car and adapted to normally rest vertically therein; a plurality ofvertically disposed guard stakes pivotally mounted on the edge of saidshelf-like member; a plurality of springs to maintain the normal uprightposition of said guard stakes; a lever pivoted within said car; a curvedconnecting rod extended between the said lever and the outside of saidshelf-like member to dispose and maintain the said -shelf-like member inadjusted position; a

toothed quadrant mounted concentrically with the pivot of said lever;and a latch bolt provided on said lever for engaging said quadrant tohold the said shelt-like member in set position.

4. In combination with a moving car having an extensible shelf-likemember adapted to carry in extended position beyond the side of said cara mail pouch for delivery, of a plurality of extracting arms, eachdisposed .at a delivery station in supported relation to the path ofsaid car; and a plurality of yielding rake members mounted on said armsto sweep the upper surface of said shelf-like member.

5. In combination with a moving car having an extensible shelf-likemember adapted to carry in extended position beyond the.

side of said car a mail pouch for delivery, of a plurality of extractingarms each disposed at a mail receiving station; a rake-like memberyieldingly mounted on each of said arms adapted to sweep the uppersurface of said shelf-like member; and yielding means for maintainingthe vertical disposition of said rake-like members.

(3. In combination with a moving car having an extensible shelf-likemember adapted to carry in extended position beyond the side of said cara mail pouch for delivery, of a plu 'ality of extracting arms eachdlsposed at a mail receiving station; a rake-like member yieldinglymounted on each of said arms adapted to sweep the up )er surface of saidshelf-like member; and a plurality of springs acting to maintain thevertical disposition of said 'ake-like members.

7. In combination with a moving car having an extensible shelf-likemember adapted to carry in extended position beyond the side of said cara mail pouch for delivery, of a plurality of extracting mechanisms eachdisposed at a mail receiving station, and comprising a butler memberyieldingly mounted on each of said arms to sweep the upper surface ofsaid shelf-like member; yielding means for maintaining the verticaldisposition of said rake-like member; and means for adjusting said'ake-like member carried vertically.

8. In combination with a moving car having an extensible shelf-likemember adapted to carry in extended position beyond the side of said cara mail pouch for delivery, of a plurality of extracting arms eachdisposed at a mail receiving station; a rake-like member pivotallymounted on each of said arms adapted to' sweep the upper surface of saidshelf-like member; a plurality of springs acting to maintain thevertical disposition of said rake-like members; and means for adjustingsaid extracting arms and rake-like members carried thereby, vertically.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

ERNEST R. ROBINSON.

Witnesses JOHN T. Srrosrnn, Emma L. SI'IOEMAKER.

